


Little Green Riding Hood

by EastEcho



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: F/M, Gen, Little Red Riding Hood AU, fairytale AU, rivetra, rivetra au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-24
Updated: 2015-03-05
Packaged: 2018-03-15 00:12:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3430778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EastEcho/pseuds/EastEcho
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Petra Ral decides to venture into the woods on her own beyond the fences, knowing the risks of the dangerous and mysterious wolf packs that roam the forest and terrorize the villagers. Petra is no stranger to danger, she ventures forth to visit her sick grandmother, although she meets a strange girl along the way that is more than meets the eye. She is grateful when she meets Levi the huntsman along the way but neither can shake the feeling that something is terribly wrong.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Twilight Becomes Nightfall

Once upon a time there was a young woman who was hard working and dedicated, a quality that was rare in someone of her age. She had ginger blonde hair and bright amber eyes, which looked sweet to all she met. At the tender age of twenty five, she was more ambitious than others in her class. She was determined to one day venture past the fences and into the woods, without risking her life. As she stared out the cottage window into the last few stages of twilight before nightfall, she cast her gaze to her deep green cloak that hung on the clothes line outside as it fluttered lightly in the breeze, the one her grandmother had made her. It came down to her hips and the color matched the leaves of the dense trees and had two wings embroidered on the back one as blue as the night sky she adored and one as pure white as the clouds.

"Father, have you received any more word from grandmother about her condition?" She called from the window to her father in the other room. She heard the faint clatter of a tool on the wooden workbench he could commonly be found at and her father entered the room.

"What was that, Petra?" Her father asked, wiping off his hands of little smudges of grease.

"Grandmother." She said as she turned to face her father. "Have you gotten anymore word from her?"

"Now that you mention it, I haven't." Her father's brow wrinkled with concern. Petra smoothed out her long white skirt and walked over to the fireplace where on the mantle sat her grandmother's previous letter. She picked it up and unfolded it, "I worry about her."

"I do too, dear." Her father made his way over to her. 

"Do you think she's gotten any better? I mean, she's all alone out in her cottage in the woods, so far away and alone...." Her voice trailed off as her eyes skimmed the letter and she got to the part where her grandmother's script handwriting told of her bout with some sort of illness.

"There isn't much we could do, Petra. She's far away and I've been so busy, the woods are too dangerous to venture into alone. I kept telling her she should move into town but she's a stubborn one." Her father shook his head.

"I don't blame her. Outside the fences, the world is huge and the forests are so beautiful, I wish I could spend more time out there rather than in here." Petra said still looking at the letter.

"Now Petra, have you been wandering out into the woods alone again? You know better than that! It's not safe out there with-" Her father began to scold her before she interrupted him with a dismissive wave of her hand.

"Relax Father, I have been good. I only speak the words of a dreamer." Petra sighed. "Besides, you know very well that I can handle wolves on my own. I have done it before you know. Which is why I think it's about time I visited grandmother at her cabin."

"No, no, no-" Her father shook his head quickly.

"I knew that would be your reaction." She rolled her eyes. "Father, I am a fighter, you know that. I've handled myself outside those fences better than any woman- and most men in this town!"

"Well that may be the case, but going alone would be suicide!" Her father countered. She slipped the letter into her dress pocket and turned away from him with a huff, taking a few steps away, back to the window. "I know you can, but I still worry." 

"I understand your worry, but that doesn't mean I agree with it." She said sternly and turned her head to look at him, arms crossed. "Grandmother is alone and ill out there, I can't sit here any longer, I'm worried sick!"

Her father was silent for a moment as he contemplated. "Well then how about this, you may check in with grandmother. IF you bring along Oluo.”

“Father!” Petra objected loudly.

“Petra.” He cut her short. “It will put my mind at easy, if only a little.”

“You know I don’t like him when h-” Petra began to argue.

“He may not be your first choice but he is skilled like you, and Gunther is busy with work, so is Eld, you’re all friends anyways.” Her father tried to reason her.

“Well how about I bring Hanji?” Petra wagered. Her father looked at the ground hesitantly, rubbing the back of his neck.

“I like her, but she’s a little strange. I don’t trust you two alone in the woods. You know how she is with those wolves, always running off after them and trying to trap them. I don’t want any accidents.” 

“Then Levi? He’s the best of the best.” Petra pleaded with a heavy sigh.

“He’s already in the woods, Petra, besides- he’s working too. I know how much you admire him, but he’s busy. I find it best not to bother him, he’s risking his life working in the woods already.” Her father said with a sigh, Petra nodded, giving in. She used her index finger to swipe a strand of her bangs that had fallen in her face and tucked it back behind her ear.

“I’ll ask Oluo to come with me tomorrow at first light okay?” Petra reassured him and walked over to her father. He smoothed her hair with and endearing smile, kissing her hair.

“Thank you, Petra.” He said warmly and Petra reassuringly gave his arm a squeeze.

“Sure thing, Father. I’ll go collect somethings to bring to Grandmother’s.” She moved past him and picked up her basket by the door, before moving into the kitchen and up the staircase. 

She shut her bedroom door with a soft click and propped her chair in front of it to provide some sense of security. She threw her blanket up onto the bed from where it hung over and knelt onto the cold wood floors, pulling out a small chest from it’s shadowed shelter. She brushed off the lid and pulled the little key out of her dress pocket, popping the latch and opening the lid. She pulled out the contents, an old and weathered hunting knife that had belonged to her grandfather that her grandmother had given to her in secret when she turned 18 after he had passed away. She checked the blade to see if it was still sharp by cutting a small chunk of meat in the basket, it cut like warm butter. She put it back in it’s sheath and then wrapped it in a red checkered handkerchief before slipping it into her dress pocket for safe keeping. 

“Sorry Father.” She said quietly, looking at her door. Her father sat downstairs at his workbench, doing his job, repairing a broken clock. A small half smile cracked on her lips, “But you have got to trust me. I’ll be fine on my own.” She took a deep breath and stood up, straightening up and moving to her window, opening the glass panes and letting the cool night air hit her, she smiled. “I’ll be just fine.” She said softly to herself and began to climb the lattice down into the garden bed, quietly knocking the window shut and descending, squashing a tomato in the process. 

“Sorry dad.” She chuckled to herself She she brushed the dirt off her knees and quietly snuck over to the first floor window. She peeked through the sheer curtains and saw her father still working by candle light on his project. She couldn’t help but smile at his concentration. “I’ll be back before you know it.”

She hurried quietly as she could. Her tall brown boots she always wore were as silent as ever on the dewy lawn. She quickly and quietly snagged her green cloak off the clothes line and hopped over the little fence out front, whipping it around her shoulders in a furl as she took off down the path towards the woods. Her green cloak kept her warm, her knife had a reassuring weight in the pocket, and her basket smelled like the fresh goodies she brought for her grandmother. The moonlight was bright enough to light her path, as she hurried away from her home and then from the town and the gravel path slowly became dirt.


	2. Flintlock

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Petra comes across a figure on the path and hides out of fear of the worst.

The woods should have been eerie. The reflective eyes and soft hoots of owls in the trees should have been spooky and the way each shadow blended together to form one massive figure should have made her turn tail and run. However, the illumination of the moon and stars that filtered through the leaves that left intricate patterns tattooed with shadows all along the forest floors gave everything a mystical gleam in the eyes of Petra. The symphony of faint hoots of owls overlapping each other was the only sign of life in the woods. 

She stayed on the path as she ventured deeper and deeper into the woods as it provided the easiest to follow and well lit path to her grandmother's house. As long as she stayed on the path, she wouldn’t get easily lost. The sound of hard dirt underneath her boots made a satisfying crunch with each step and the breeze was light enough to provide a cooling sensation but not rustle the leaves too loud. 

The air was so crisp in the forest that night, each breath was rejuvenating to her. The sensation of truly being alone was reassuring to her as she cleared her mind with each sigh. She was a ways into the woods when she saw a shadowed figure walking in her direction. She took in a small gasp and quickly broke from the middle of the path and scrambled to the edges, high stepping in the tall grasses and weeds that trimmed the path and ducked behind a bulky trees and shrubs. She slowed her breathing down so it was softer, the cool night air not cool enough to show her warm breath. The figure was a ways away from her, so she thought they had not seen her, she kept calm and concealed in the shadows. She was confident in that she could outrun or handle whoever was there if things took a turn for the worst.   
The person’s footsteps grew nearer, she could tell they weren’t trying to disguise their footfalls, so that was a good sign she hadn’t been spotted. They grew nearer and just on the other side of the tree trunk when they stopped.

“Damn…” She thought as she bit her lip to stay silent. She was more silent than the calm air that hung in the night and was sure she was undetected when a voice spoke. 

“Hello..?” A familiar voice spoke. The voice of a young man, younger than her that she knew from town. She rustled where she was, coming out from behind the trunk, pulling her green hood down.

“Eren?” She said with a smile.

“Petra!” He said a little surprised, he backed up from where he stood close to the tree and rubbed his neck nervously. He then held out a hand to help her as she hiked up her skirt above her ankles as she high stepped out of her hiding spot. “What are you doing out here at this hour?” 

“I’m on my way to visit my grandmother.” She stated simply, smoothing out the brown skirt she wore with her white blouse tucked in. 

“This late in the night, alone?” Eren asked, bewildered. He looked around but not another soul could be seen on the moonlit forest path. 

“Yes.” She nodded simply. “I’m on a journey alone to my grandmother’s house. She is sick and I need to help her, I couldn’t wait.”

“Does your father know you’re on your way there?” Eren asked suspiciously.

“Not exactly.” She said and Eren sighed, she cut him off. “But my father does not control my actions, I cannot sit idly while my grandmother is suffering, so I made the choice to go. I am sure you are plenty aware that I can take care of myself Eren Yaeger, as I have taken care of you numerous times.”

He grimaced as he remembered all the times Petra had saved his ass in town as well as when any rogue wolves strayed into the city limits and he was overpowered. “Yes I do.”

“And I am sure you know what would happen if my father were to find out I am on my way right now before the crack of dawn?” She hinted to him and he looked down at his feet.

“Understood, Petra.” He said sadly.

“Good!” She said cheerily and ruffled his head, causing him to protest and step back, making her laugh. “You should be on your way, the woods alone isn’t a place for a kid like you. Anyways, what are you doing out here so late?”

“Hunting…” Eren murmured and Petra crossed her arms in doubt.

“With no weapon, catch, or gear?” She prodded. He nervously shifted his weight on his feet.

“Alright you caught me, I just wanted to take a walk in the woods, see if any of the paths needed to be cleared.” 

“Alright, Eren. But next time don’t do it alone, or at night. It’s dangerous.” She scolded and he opened his mouth to protest but she cut him off. “And DON’T call me a hypocrite. I’m older and wiser, and I know what I’m doing. Now hurry on home, Eren.”

“Shouldn’t I go with you? I feel like you shouldn’t go alone.” Eren asked nervously.

‘I’ll be fine, Eren. Just hurry on home to Mikasa and your parents and sleep tight. I’m sure you have a long day’s work ahead of you in the morning.” Petra fixed the lace ups on the collar of eren’s neckline in a motherly manner and started to walk off.

“But-” Eren hesitated.

“I’ll tell you what, Eren. If you don’t breath a word of this to my father and If I’m not back by tomorrow evening, you have my permission to come find me, alright?” Petra smiled kindly at him, showing her appreciation for his worry.

‘Very well, Petra.” He returned the kind smile, timidly and reached behind him to the waistband of his pants. “But I want you to take this, it’ll at least put my mind a little at ease.” He pulled his hand back around and walked to her, taking her gently and placing the item in it, it was a Flintlock style pistol.

“Eren, you-” She began to politely decline but Eren stopped her.

“Please, Petra, take it. You can give it back to me when you return, alright?” Eren smiled and stepped back.

“Well, thank you very much, Eren. I will take good care of it.” Petra stuck it gently into her basket and bowed her head in thanks. She turned and began to walk away.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Petra Ral.” He said as she walked away, the blue and white winged crest on her back visible on her green cloak in the moonlight.

“See you, Eren Yaeger.” She called back and they parted ways. Eren went up and over a small hill in the road and was gone from sight. She breathed a sigh of relief and continued on her way. She continued along the way, the flintlock pistol adding a little more reassuring weight to her wicker basket as she strolled along, now keeping to the very edge of the pathway rather than the middle in case she needed a quick escape.


End file.
